Internal combustion engines are used to power vehicles by converting chemical energy into mechanical energy, which may be further converted into electrical energy. The mechanical energy is transferred to a transmission that selects the proper gearing to drive the vehicle. The chemical energy supplied to an internal combustion engine is typically in the form of a refined fossil fuel such as gasoline or diesel fuel, or a distilled alcohol such as ethanol. Only a portion of the heat produced from the combustion of the fuel in an internal combustion engine is converted into useful mechanical energy and/or used to provide passenger comfort, the remaining heat is wasted through the cooling and exhaust systems of the vehicle.
Automatic transmissions typically use a transmission fluid, which may be petroleum based or synthetic, as a lubricating fluid for the internal components of the transmission and as a hydraulic fluid to active clutches for proper gear ratio selections. During initial startup of the vehicle, the temperature of the transmission fluid is approximately that of the temperature of the ambient air, which during cold winter months would cause the fluid to be highly viscous, resulting in transmission spin loss (i.e. energy loss), increased component wear, and reduced fuel economy until the transmission fluid reaches operating temperature.
Accordingly, there is a need to increase the efficiency of the internal combustion engine by converting a portion the wasted heat into beneficial use. It is beneficial to capture the waste heat in the vehicle cooling and exhaust systems to preheat or warm the transmission fluid during initial vehicle startup for improved efficiency as well as improved longevity of the transmission.